Humidifier for hot air furnaces or heaters



E. SOMERS June 13, 1933; I

HUMIDIFIER FOR HOT AIR FURNACES OR HEATERS Filed May 15, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDMOND SOMERS, OF LINWOOD, NEW JERSEY HUMIDIFIER .FOR HOT AIR FURNACES OB HEATERE Application filed May 13, 1932. Serial No. 611,207.

wherein the humidity issupplied from a.

central point, and due to the moisture in the hot air dust is kept down to a minimum, and due to the uniform humidity, interior decorations and furniture, rugs, etc., are kept frombecoming too dry, their brightness being retained. r

Still another purpose is to provide a tank for the water, a float and ball valve for a supplypipe which enters the tank for maintaining the water in the tank at a uniform level, in combination with awater back or'coil in the fire box, and in which the-water level is kept uniform with that in the tank, the water back or coil adapted to contain substantially one pint, while the tank is adapted to contain two gallons.

A further purpose is to provide, in a humidifier for hot air furnaces means for delivering the steam from the water in the water back or coil into a hot air chamber of the furnace, anddue to the furnacehaving a revoluble fan in its dome the moisture is thoroughly mixed with the hot air in the hot air chamber and delivered throughthe hot air ducts to the various rooms of a dwelling.

A still further purpose is to provide, in a device of this kind means whereby excess steam may be carried off to the waste.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitative, and that while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modification of details and proportions may be made in the construction of the appliance according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features.

i in the chamber.

and combination of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing and claimed.

' In the drawing Figure 1 is a View in perspective of an improved hot air furnace, showing the inven- 5 tion as applied and constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the tank showing the float and ball valve for a supply. pipe.

Figure 3 is a diagram of thehumidifier as applied to a hot water" heater, instead of to a hot air furnace.

Referring to the drawing 1 identifies a hot air furnace of a type having a hot air chamher 2, and wherein the inside of the dome 4 is provided with a revoluble fan 3, for the purpose of thoroughly mixing the moisture and the hot air prior to leaving the various hot air ducts or conduits i'rto the rooms of a dwelling.

Located in the fire box 6 of the furnace is a water back or coil 7, which is connected to the bottom of a tank 8 by means of a pipe 9. This pipe 9 passes through the wall of the furnace in order to connect with the water back or coilp On the interior of the tank or container 8 a conventional type of float controlled operating valve 10 is arranged, so that when the float 11 lowers the valve opens to allow inflow of the water. In this way a constant uniform level of Water is maintained in the tank, which level corresponds with the level of the water in the water'back or coil 7. The pipe 9 has a valve 12 for controlling the supply of water from theltank to the water back or coil. A pipe 13 connects with the water back or coil at a point substantially above the level of the waterin the water back. This pipe in turn passes through the outer shell of the furnace and enters the hot air chamber 2, thereby conducting the steam rising from the water in the coil 7 into the hot'air chamber 2, thereby providing moisturefor the hot air 9 A butterfly valve 14 is mounted in a casing 14a, and to which the pipe 13 is connected. The pipe 13 has a valve 13a for controlling the amount of steam into the hot air chamher 2. As a rule the valve 13a is fully open, though it may be at times only partially open. An arm 14?) is carried by the stem of the butterfly valve 14, and connected to the arm is a chain, cable or the like 16, which after passing overpulleys 16a and 16b is in turn connected to a lever 160 of a conventional type of temperature regulator, preferably one known as the Holland make, said regulator being identified by the reference numeral 22. This Holland temperature regulator is operated by an electric circuit identified at 23 including a battery 24, the circuit being con-' trolled by any conventional type of thermo stat 15, which closes and opens the circuit in order to actuate the temperature regulator 22, causing the lever 160 to tilt, and actuate the chain'or cable 16, for opening the butterfly valve 14. The opening of t e butte'rfl 20 valve 14' will permit steam to pass throug the casing 14a and through that portion'of the pipe 13 where it enters the shell of the furnace and the interior of the chamber 2. When the thermostat 15 operates to close the circuit passing through the leads 23 and the battery 24, the Holland? temperature regulator in turn electrically operates, the lever 16c tilting in the direction of the arrow a, slacking upon the chains or cables 16 and 30,

30, allowing the door 29 to close and permitting the arm 14b of the butterfly valve to tilt downwardly by gravity. In this case, the end of.

the lever 160 to which the chain or cable 25 (which passes over the pulleys 26-and 27) is connected, moves upwardly and the chain or cable is pulled in the direction of the arrows 6, thereby opening the draft door 28. Also upon moving ofthe lever 160 in the direction of the arrow a, the damper door 29. 40. (which is connected by a cable or chain 30 passing over pulleys 31 and32) closes. This damper door controls an opening 33 of the smoke flue or pipe 34. The cablesor chains 16 and 30 at the point where they connect to '45 the lever 160 are capable of adjustment, so as to regulate the opening and closing of the jbutterfly valve 14 as well as the opening and closing of the door 29 of the smoke flue or pipe 34. The-adjustment 'of the cables or chains 16 and 30 will also regulate the closing and opening of the draft door 28, which isaccomplished by the chain or cable 25, upon movement of the lever 160.

A Through the medium of the thermostat 15 and its electrical connections with the temperature regulator 22, the butterfly valve can be automatically regulated, and hence automatically govern the amount'of steam or moisture entering the hot air chamber. Ob-

viously the loose mounting of the butterfly .valve 14 enables the valve to closeby gravity,

when tension on cable 16 is released. v

'A pipe 17 connects to the casing of the butterfly valve '14, and located "in the pipe 17 i 35 is a valve 18, and by partially opemng the valve 18 in relatively mild weather a portion of the steam canv be drained off through .the pipe 17 and through the waste'pipeili).

This waste pipe 19 connects to the bottom of the tank or container 8 and has a valve 20,..and byopening the same the tank or container 8 can be drained and the sediment therein removed.

.An overflow pipe 35 is connected to the waste pipe 19 at a point below the valve 20 and in turn connects to the side of the tank or container 8 as at 36, so that any overflow of the water in the tank or container may be carried ofi through the waste pipe 19.

A water supply pipe 21 connects to the bottom of the tank or container, and with the end of which on the interior of the tank the 'float controlled valve 10 cooperates for governing the supply of water to the tank.

Supportedat 37 on the furnace is a conventional type of motor 38, the shaft of which carries a pulley '39 engaged by a belt 40, which in turn engages about a pulley 41 carried by the shaft 42 of the revolublefan 3. A thermostatic switch 43 (which may be arranged at any suitable location) has electrical connections 44 including a battery, so

that according to the temperature, the switch will close, and thereby close the circuit and,

in turn operate the motor .38, which in turn will transmit power to the revoluble fan 4, which will inturn churn the hot air and moisture or steam in the dome and discharge it through the several hot air ducts or flues 5.

I Referring to Figure 3 it will be noted that the humidifier as shown is applied to a hot water heater. The steam in passing through the casing of the butterfly valve 14, will enter a container or tank, and through the medium of a fan (not shown) installed on the interior of this container or tank 45, and adapted to be operated as in Figure 1 the steam or moisture therein can be discharged through a plurality of pipes 46 to the various 7 rooms of a dwelling. The container or tank 4 is provided with suitable air inlet means 4 It is possible to supplyv some suitable disinfectant or a perfume solution on the bottom of the pan'in the heat. chamber 2, so that the fumes therefrom can be carried along with the steam'to the dome and caused to be circulated through the several flues 5.

gen-

the base of the heater and re-heated and since the steam is conducted from the water back or coil by pipe to the base of the heater, the 1 re-heated air and the steam or moisture again mixes and passes through the dome and is re-circulated.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. In a humidifier for heaters, the combination with a hot air chamber provided in said heater, of a water back positioned within the fire box of the heater, a water supply tank having a pipe connecting with the water back, the water in the tank and the water backbeing of uniform level, a pipe connected to the water back above the level of the water therein and in turn entering the hot air chamber for conducting steam thereinto, an automatically controlled valve in the last named pipe for automatically controlling steam into said hot air chamber, a drain pipe connected to the bottom of the tank in cluding a valve for cont-rolling the drainage from the tank, an overflow pipe connected to the tank at a point adjacent the level of the Water therein and in turn connected to the drain pipe below its valve, a pipe connected ,to the drain pipe and in turn to a casing of the automatically controlled valve for passing excessive steam off through the drain pipe, and amanually operated valve in the pipe which connects to said valve casing for controlling, said excessive steam.

2. In a humidifier for heaters, a hot air chamber in said heater, a water back disposed in the fire box of the heater, a water supply tank provided with a drain pipe, a pipe connecting the tank and the water back to supply water to the back, the level of the water in the tank and the water back being uniform, a pipe connected to the water back above the water level and in turn to the drainpipe for passing off excessive steam, a controlling valve including a casing in said last named pipe, a pipe connecting said casing of the controlling valve and the hot air chamber for conducting steam into the latter, a manually operated valve in said pipe which enters the hot air chamber for manually controlling the steam to the hot air chamber, and amanually operated valve in the pipe which connects the water back and the drain pipe at a point below "the controlling valve casing.

3. In a humidifier for heaters, a hot air chamber in said heater, a water back disposed in the fire box of the heater, a water supply tank provided with a drain pipe, a pipe connecting the tank and the water back to supply water to the back, the level of the water in the tank and the water back being uniform, a pipe connected to the .water back above the water level and in turn to the drain pipe for passing off excessivesteam, a controlling valve including a casing in said last named pipe, a pipe connecting said casing of the controlling valve and the hot air chamber for conducting steam into the latter, a manually operated valve in said pipe which enters the hot air chamber for manually controlling the steam to the hot air chamber, and a manually operated valve in the pipe which connects the water back and the drain pipe at a point below the controlling valve casing, a manually operated valve in the drain pipe for controlling the drainage, an overflow pipe I connected to the tank incident to the water level and in turn to the drain pipe below its manually operated valve, a supply pipe connected to the bottom of the tank and including a float controlled valve on the interior of the tank.

4. In-a humldifier for heaters, the combination with a hot air chamber within the heater,

the hot air chamber for conducting steam thereinto and provided with a manually operated valveto control said steam, automatically operated means including a cas'ng in said steam pipe for controlling the steam into the hot air chamber when the manually operated valve is open, a pipe connecting said through the pipe, a

casing and said drain pipe and provided with a valve to control excess steam through the drain pipe, and an overflow pipe connected to the tank incident to the water level and in turn connected to the drain pipe below its control valve.

5. The combination with a heater including a fire pot and ahot air chamber having a dome and heat conducting fiues leading therefrom, of a water back in the fire pot in which steam is generated from the water therein, means for conducting the steam from the water back into the lower portion of the heat chamber thereby supplying moisture to the hot air therein, and an automatically driven fan in the dome of the heat chamber for lifting the moisture and the hot air and mixing the same and distributing it through the various heat conducting fines of the heater.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' EDMOND SOMERS. 

